Fountain pen



Juy E59 E946. E. HEALY FOUNTAIN PEN Filed April 27, 1944 INVENTQR.EMMETT HEALY "M 6"* ATTORNEYS Tm .m Tv

NN N 2 Patented July 16, 1946 FOUNTAIN PEN Emmett Healy, Janesville,Wis., assigner to The Parker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis., acorporationof Wisconsin Application April 27, 1944, Serial N0. 532,953

14 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-51) The invention relates to fountain pens of thetype comprising a shell enclosing feeding means and a point projectingfrom the shell, and its general object is to provide a novel structurefacilitating alignment of `the parts and maintenance of such alignment.

It is also an object to provide a novel fountain pen structure in whichthe parts constituting the front or writing end are adapted to beassembled as a unit and such unit detachably secured to the barrel ofthe pen whereby the parts of the front end may be properly alignedrelative to .each other and such alignment is not affected by securingthe unit to the barrel, or in case repair of some portion of such frontend is required, the entire unit may be readily replaced by a new unit,and the old unit may be returned to the factory where it was made andwhere it may be repaired and reassembled with greatest facility andaccuracy.

Another object is to provide a novel fountain pen structure having theparts forming the front or operating end. of the pen assembled as aunit, and utilizing so far as possible standard parts heretofore used ina pen in which such parts Were successively assembled on the barrel ofthe pen.

A further object is to provide a novel fountain pen structure having theparts forming the front or operating end of the pen assembled as aselfcontained unit, and held in such relation by cement, the unit thenbeing secured to the barrel of the pen by a cement having a differentcharacteristic and capable of being freed by different treatment fromthat required for freeing the first-mentioned cement, so that the unitmay be readily detached from the barrel without loosening the partsconstituting the unit from each other.

Still another object is to provide a fountain pen structure having theparts forming the front or operating end assembled as a self-containedunit, with said parts held in proper adjustment relative to each otherby spacing means providing suitable passages for the flow of air Withinthe structure.

Other objects and advantages Will become apparent in the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:Y

Figure l is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a fountainpen embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a partial disassembling ofthe pen;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig l; and

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary View of the pen with parts broken away to showthe alignment of certain parts.

In a fountain pen having a front end structure comprising a shellenclosing ink feeding lmeans and a point which projects from 4the shellto provide a writing nib, the parts of such structure are so formed thataccurate alignment thereof is necessary toI establish proper operatingconditions. Heretofore, in pens of this type the front end structureAhas usually been secured to the barrel by a threaded connection, withthe result that the parts were apt to become misaligned rotatively intightening the structure on the barrel.

Because of this difliculty in adjustment, the pens should be completelyassembled at the time of manufacture. A dealer therefore has to carry arelatively large stock, if he is to be able to offer a customer achoiceof style of pen as well as a choice of character of the point ineach style. Furthermore, in case repair of the front end structure isneeded, the difficulty of alignment of the parts of the front endstructure frequently involves a return of they pen to the factory forsuch repair. The factory in making such repair must so handle the workthat the identity of the pen with a particular customer is maintained.

These difliculties can be eliminated and material advantages attained ifthe front end structure is assembled as aunit with the parts maintainedin proper alignment in a manner independent of the securing of the frontend structure to the barrel. Thus, in assembling the front end unit inthe factory, the parts maybe properly aligned, and by securing them insuch relation lthe rotative movement involved in screwing the unit onthe barrel cannot cause a misalignment. The manufacture of the penisthus materially simplified. Y i

The unit construction of the front end likewise simplifies theAproblemof being able to give a customer a wide choice of styles of pens and ofcharacter of points iny each style, since any front end unit having apoint `of the desired character may. readily be attached to a barrel. Achange of points may thus be, accomplished by replacement of the frontend unit, and the; adjustment of each point with the other parts of theunit is not disturbed. Y i f Similarly, repair problems are simplifiedsince a front end unit to be repaired need not be carried through thefactory on a basis maintaining identity of a particular unit with aparticular customer. The customerhaving a pen in need of such repair maybe supplied with a unit previously repaired, andthe unit to be returnedto the factory may be repaired and placed in stock for some futurerepair job. Delay because of repair is thus eliminated.

In the drawing, I have shown a pen comprising a barrel IEB and a frontend structure, indicated generally at II, secured thereto. In the typeof pen here shown to illustrate the invention, the front end structureis an assembly of `parts which are now in standard production and whichcomprise a shell I2 and a point I3 projecting therefrom. Within theshell is a collector or governor Il! provided with a rearwardlyextending shank portion I5. rlhe governor Ill is provided with a centralbore to receive a feed bar I6 provided with a rearwardly extending airtube I'I entering the barrel Iii. The forward end of the feed bar Iunderlies the point I3, and the latter extends rearwardly and isreceived in the front end of the governor I4. The feed bar I5, point I3and governor I4 are so constructed as to provide suitable passages forthe flow of ink from the barrel to the point and for the entrance of airinto the barrel to compensate for the withdrawal of ink consumed inwriting.

Proper alignment of these parts is highly desirable to permit them tofunction properly. Thus the governor I4 is provided with a longitudinalchannel 3U and. diametrically opposite a feed slit SI extending throughthe shank I5. The point I3 should bear a predetermined relation to thechannel and slit and also should be aligned to cooperate with the shapeof the shell and the feed bar. Furthermore, the projection of the pointbeyond the shell preferably conforms to definite limits. The alignmentof the parts thus is a matter requiring care in assembly.

Since, as mentioned above, it is desirablev that the front end structurebe assembled as a unit,

4 threaded into the front end of the barrel I0. Between the rear end ofthe shell and the front end of the barrel and encircling the nipple 28is a cap-retaining clutch ring 22. Thus, since the parts of the unit aremaintained in predetermined relation by the nipple and the latter isfixed in the shell beforeattaching to the barrel,

vthe rotative movement of the unit in screwing the nipple into thebarrel will not disturb the adjustment of the parts of the unit.

Since the nipple 2E! is threaded both into the shell and into thebarrel, it is desirable to prothe parts constituting the front endstructure are secured together in a manner to prevent misadjustmentduring assembly of the unit on the barreland to permit removal of theunit from the barrel without disassembling of the parts of the unit. Tothis end the parts of the unit are held together in a manner whichrigidly holds the parts in place and which does not permit theirdisassembly by the procedure utilized in detaching the unit from thebarrel. A unit thus may be placed on a barrel without danger ofdisaligning the parts of the unit.

In order to attain this feature, a member in the form of a nipple 20 isprovided, which serves to hold the parts of the front end structureassembled and provides a convenient means for attaching the front endstructure as a unit to the barrel. The nipple in its preferred formcomprises an elongated cylindrical member having a central bore 2Idimensioned to receive the shank I5 of the governor I4. The shank I5 hasa frictional t within the bore 2I, and the governor is positioned inabutment with the front end of the nipple 20. Externally the nipple 20is preferably threaded throughout at least the greater part of itslength and to secure i't in assembled relationship with the front endstructure, a portion of these external threads in the nipple engagecorresponding threads on the interior of the rear end of the shell I2.The nipple is of sufcient length so that a substantial portion thereofextends beyond the shell I2 and is vide means to prevent disassembly ofthe nipple and shell when the nipple is unscrewed from the barrel toremove the front end unit. To this end a cement is employed to securethe nipple to the shell, which-cement preferably is placed on thethreads engaging the shell. Such cement not only serves to secure theparts together as a unit, but also provides an air and ink-tight seal sothat the other parts of the front end structure may effect properfeeding of the ink.

It is also desirable to utilize a cement in the threads joining thenipple with the barrel for sealing purposes. Since cement thus isutilized both between the nipple and the barrel andthe nipple and theshell, it is desirable that the two cements differ in somecharacteristic so that one may be loosened without freeing the cement atthe other point. Thus since it is the intent to maintain the front endstructure in assembled relationship, the cement securing the nipple tothe barrel is of a type which is more readily freed than the cementholding the nipple to the shell. In the preferred construction, bothcements are of thermoplastic character so that under proper treatmentthey may be readily freed without danger of breaking any of the parts.The cement securing the nipple to the barrel, however, has a lowercritical temperature than that of the cement connecting the nipple tothe shell. Thus by controlling the heat applied to the pen to loosen thecement, the cement securing the nipple to the barrel may be freedwithout plasticizing the other cement. In practice, each repair shop maybe provided with a heating device capable of supplying just enough heatto a pen to plasticize the first-mentioned or lower temperature cement.Thus the front end unit may be readily detached from the barrel withoutvdanger of disassembling the parts of the front end unit. In reassemblingthe front end unit on the barrel, the repair shop will be supplied onlywith cement having the proper critical temperature.

As mentioned above, the nipple 20 when assembled into the shell I2 holdsthe parts of the front end structure in properly assembled and rotatablyadjusted relation including the extent the point I3 projects beyond theshell. Since the governor Il! abuts against the front end of the nipple20 at the rear end of the governor, it is desirable that the governor beheld against being moved too far forward in the shell so as to limit theextent of projection of the point beyond the shell by limiting theextent to which the nipple is threaded into the shell. Such limitationof the forward position of the governor within the shell also preservesthe correct spacing of the governor from the tapering side wall of theshell.y For this purpose spacing means isprovided at the front end ofthe governor oomprising a collar 23 embracing the point IS and feed barI6 and adapted to abut against an interior shoulder 24 adjacent thefrontend of the shell to limit the forward position of the governor. Thecollar thus may abut against the shoulder 24 and the governor abutsagainst the collar 23 so that -the parts are limited in assembledrelation when the nipple is threaded into the barrel. However, if thepoint and shell are not rotatively aligned when such abutment occurs,the nipple may be unscrewed a fraction of a1 turn to attain the desiredrotative alignment. Since in the functioning of the governor I4 accessfor air to the front end of the. governor must be provided, the collar23 is provided with a plurality of radially extending grooves 25 (fourin the present instance) which communicate with an opening 2S in thefront end of the shell l2. The collar if in abutment thus provides forproper air iiow to the governor.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that I have provided afront end structure which may be assembled as a unit and in which theparts will not become misaligned by subsequent securing of the unit tothe barrel. Such front end unit may be readily replaced in the pen sothat a minimum of time is required for repairs, i. e., the owner of apen may have his pen returned to him with a new front unit with aminimum of delay. The front end units then may be shipped to the factorywhere they may be readily repaired and readjusted on a production basis.

I claim:

1. In a fountain pen including a barrel, a um'- tary front end structurecomprising a point, ink feeding means for controlling the flow of ink tothe point, an enclosing shell, and a nipple secured in the shell andholding the point and feeding means in operative relation with theshell, said nipple being constructed for detachable engagement with thebarrel whereby the front end struc ture may be detached from the barrelas a unit.

2. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a point, ink feeding means for controlling the flow of ink tothe point, an enclosing shell, and a member rigidly securing the pointand feeding means in operative relation with the shell and constructedfor detachable engagement with the barrel whereby the front endstructure may be assembled as a unit, the unit being readily securableto the barrel.

3. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a point, ink feeding means for controlling the flow of ink tothe point, a nipple carrying said point and said feeding means, and ashell enclosing said feeding means and the major portion of said point,said shell and said nipple being secured together to hold the feedingmeans and point in operative relation with each other and with theshell, and said nipple being constructed for detachable engagement withthe barrel whereby the front end structure may be assembled on anddetached from the barrel as a unit.

4. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a point, feeding means comprising a governor and a feed bar,said feed bar and said point being carried by said governor, a nipplecarrying said governor, and a shell enclosing said feeding means andsecured to said nipple to hold the point, governor and feed bar inoperative relation with the shell, said nipple being constructed fordetachable engagement with the barrel to permit the front end tachedfrom the barrel as a unit.

6'. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a uni- -tary front end structurecomprising a point,a

feed bar, a governor having a bore frictionally receiving the point andfeed bar, said governor having a shank at its rear end, a nipple havinga bore frictionally receiving said shank, and a shell threaded on thefront end of said nipple and thereby holding the point, feed bar andgovernor in operative relation to the shell, said nipple having its rearend threaded for detachable engagement inthe barrel whereby the frontend structure may be detached from the barrel as a unit.

7. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a point, feeding means, a shell enclosing said feeding meansand a major portion of said point, and a nipple secured to said shelland holding the point, feeding means and shell in operative relation,said nipple being cemented to said shell to provide a `tight sealtherebetween to insure proper operation ofthe feeding means and toprevent inadvertent disassembly of the shell and nipple, said nipplebeing constructed for detachable engagement with the barrel whereby thefront structure may be removed from the barrel as a unit.

8. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a point, feeding means, an enclosing shell, and a nipplethreaded into the rear end of the shell and holding the Y point, feedingmeans and shell in operative relation, the threads on the nipple beingcemented to said shell to provide a tight seal therebetween insuringproper operation of the feeding means and preventing inadvertentdisassembly of the shell and nipple, said nipple being threaded for sengagement with the barrel whereby the front structure may be readilyremoved from the barrel as a unit.

9. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a shell having an internal shoulder adjacent its front end, apoint extending from the front end of said shell, feed control meanswithin said shell, a nipple secured in the rear end of said shell forholding the parts in assembled relation, and a spacing member interposedbetween said shoulder and said feed control means to limit the forwardposition of the latter Within the shell, said nipple being constructedfor detachable engagement with said barrel.

10. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a shell having an internal shoulder adjacent its front end, a`point extending from the front end of said shell, a governor withinsaid shell, a nipple threaded in the rear end of said shell and abuttingsaid governor, and a spacing collar interposed between said governor andsaid shoulder to limit the forward position of the governor relative tothe shell, said nipple being constructed for detachable engagement withsaid barrel.

11. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a unitary front end structurecomprising a shell having an opening in its front end and having aninternal shoulder adjacent its front end, a point extending through saidopening, a governor within said shell and carrying the point, a nipplethreaded in theY rear end of said shell and carrying said governor, anda spacing collar interposed between said governor and said shoulder tolimit the forward position of the governor relative to the shell andthus limit the projection of the point through said opening, said collarbeing radially grooved to provide an air passage connecting saidgovernor and said opening, said nipple being constructed for detachableengagement with said barrel.

l2. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, a unitary front endstructure comprising a shell, a point projecting from said shell, feedcontrol means within said shell, a nipple extending into the shell foi`holding the point and feel control means in operative relation to theshell, and a cement rigidly securing said nipple to the shell, and asecond cement for securing said nipple to the barrel, said second cementbeing of different character from the rst-rnentioned cement and beingadapted to be freed by treatment differing from the treatment forfreeingthe rst- 8 mentioned cement whereby the nipple may be selectivelydetached from the barrel or the shell.

13. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, a unitary front endstructure comprising a plurality of parts and including a nipple forholding said parts in assembled relation and a thermoplastic cementsecuring said nipple to the front end structure, and a secondthermoplastic cement for securing said nipple to the barrel to theassemble the unitary front end structure with the barrel, said secondcement being rendered plastic at a lower temperature than saidrstmentioned cement whereby the nipple may be readily detached from thebarrel without loosening the connection of the nipple with the front endstructure.

14. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel, a unitary front endstructure including a shell, a nipple threaded into the shell to holdthe parts of said structure in assembled relation, and a thermoplasticcement in the threads connecting the nipple with the shell, said nipplealso being threaded in said barrel, and a second thermoplastic cement inthe threads connecting the nipple with the barrel, said second cementbeing rendered plastic at a lower temperature than'said rst-mentionedcement whereby the nipple may be readily unscrewed from the barrelwithout loosening the threaded connection with the shell.

EMMETT HEALY.

Disclaimer N PEN.- Patent. dated July 16,

y, Janesville, Wis. FOUNTM the assignee, The Parker Pen 2,404,063.EmmettHeal 1946. Disclaimer iiled Dec. 30, 1947, by Company.

this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 oi [Official Gazette Feb.3, 1948.]

said patent.

Hereby enters

